Goodnight-wing
by Madi Starlight
Summary: One shot: A twist on Young Justice "Endgame" where Nightwing dies instead of Kid Flash.


**Note: ((Written for Tumblr user fighter1357, who I credit for the idea. Hope you enjoy~))**

I was right there. Watching them run around, creating a vortex, saving the world. Something was wrong. As I looked up I saw Wally getting struck with lightning of some sort...not that I could track the speedsters much, but even I could tell he was lagging bad. Just then Jaime mentioned something about "ceasing". My heart sped up as nerves filled me up. I was hardly ever nervous. No, this time, I was scared. If Wally- another lightning strike. Before I knew it, I jumped off the sphere. "Nightwing-" someone called, I didn't care. "WALLY!"

It all slowed down, I was running faster than I'd ever ran before. I wasn't running for my life, but for the life of my best friend, my brother, my teammate. And yet, it felt like running in a dream. Every step was weighted down by something you couldn't shake off. It felt invisible. My suit was insulated but I felt the chill of the arctic, the snow began to seep into my shoes as my boots crunched against it, my breath went up in puffs through the freezing air. I was seconds away. I couldn't even see him, but I knew he was thankfully the one on the outside. "Wally!" I screamed it at the top of my lungs. Something yellow slowed down, but the lightning didn't. It delayed him just enough for me to reach out and grab him. Or...more I _slammed_ into him. We both tumbled out of the vortex as it finally closed off.

For a moment we both panted there laying in the snow. A moment later he jumped to his feet. "Nightwing, what were you thinking!?" I wanted to grin, but suddenly I couldn't answer. I couldn't move. I lay there in the snow, something burning on my back. The world spun around me, causing me to blink as I tried to resituate myself. "Dick?" Something was wrong with his voice, almost like it was in a tunnel. I tried to speak but it came out in a mumble even I couldn't understand. I was so tired...and I could feel my body shutting down. The snow froze against my face, causing a bit of a burn. Every effort to move only made the stinging in my muscles worse. Was it because of how fast I'd run? One wouldn't have thought so. A burn like that..it must have been the lightning...

At that moment I realized people were panicking around me. By the time I'd opened my eyes again the Team had moved me to the Sphere. Wally's mouth was moving, so was Artemis, and a few others. A part of me was glad I couldn't understand what they were saying. Still, I could imagine it wasn't pleasant and they were probably calling me stupid. Mentally, I shrugged at it, but even trying to register what was going on hurt. The burning began to get worse and I flinched, my first movement since I'd pushed Wally out. Someone yelped, at least that's what I could make out through the constant movement. Guess I'd scared someone.

They put me down somewhere on the Bioship, the floor against my head bringing a sharp burst of pain and I moaned, reflexively curling over into a ball on the ground. They must have been trying to get me to a hospital. Normally I would have protested. However this time, something told me I desperately needed it. They'd probably give me a salve. It was just the lightning shock. I'd be all right. It would wear off. The painkiller they'd probably give me would help. As my mind began to quiet, I then realized I'd never make it to the hospital on time. Closing my eyes, I relaxed a little bit, letting the pain come over me.

Wally walked over, kneeling down to my level and shaking his head. I knew he thought I was an idiot for going after him. Still, he knew as well as I that my actions had saved him. His expression changed as he squeezed my shoulder. Though the gesture was gently done, it still sent a shock of pain up my arm and I winced reflexively, sucking air in through my teeth. As he pulled back I watched him mouth a "sorry" and I almost felt bad. Against my will memories began to flood in. We'd started this team together. Me, him, and Kaldur. Everything we'd done together, everything we'd accomplished, I couldn't help but feel sorrowed.

I still remembered that geeky grin when we first met. I wasn't completely whelmed at meeting another kid hero, a tiny bit nervous sure, but more cocky than anything since I thought like I did back then, I was in the business longer, he knew nothing. That changed quickly. Sure, he wasn't as experienced. It showed. Always tripping everywhere...Even so, Wally changed everything for me. He was the first person I'd ever given my identity to. The first real friend I'd had since...well since my parents had died. Eventually, he became my best friend. We did as much as we could together. Starting this Team I felt had only brought us closer.

The past few years hadn't been the greatest. Leading the Team so closely after losing my little brother, only to lose another teammate soon after, it had hardened me. I know I changed. Wally left the Team, and although I was supportive, although I let him take his leave, it left something empty. When we argued inside the Hall of Justice, I know I was losing a part of myself. At first I didn't want him on the inside of me and Kaldur's master plan because I knew he'd cause me to rethink things, or at least go over things twice. It wasn't something I could afford, I thought he'd hold me back. I was wrong. All this time, I needed Wally. I needed my friend to help me through things. When Kaldur wasn't there, though I knew he wouldn't rejoin the Team, he needed to be there to keep me in check. It was all so stupid as I looked back on it. M'gann told me I needed to forgive myself, somehow I knew that I might never get over it. The mistakes were made, but the Invasion was over. We'd won.

Saving Wally had made me feel at least a little better. Of course, he'd never forgive me. But in that moment I felt like I was needed. Kaldur would take the reigns from here, as I now realized that he was always meant everything I'd done over the last couple months, at some point I was beginning to wonder if certain people were better off without me. Right then, I'd been needed. It was all I cared about. My time as a hero had been worth while. From the time I'd joined Bruce's side till now, never had life seemed so short. Really, when it came down to it, all that had _really _mattered was _family. _Bruce of course wouldn't forgive himself for not being there, and it left an ache in my heart knowing that. Still, he'd accept that I hadn't died in , my greatest mission was to be there for my friends when they needed it. It gave me closure now. My job was finally finished.

Looking up again, I saw that a few others had gathered around me. Someone had their hand on my forehead, but I could barely feel it. Their grave expressions told me that they knew too now that I was going. Wally looked like he was about to give. I didn't want them to see me like this, I had to do something to make it better. At the end of this, they should have been celebrating, not mourning over me. I tried to move again but at this point, even blinking hurt. How long had it been since we'd left? 10 minutes? 10 hours? An angry tear slid down my face as my vision blurred. Everything screamed inside me but I sat up. As I did, I fell onto them. They embraced me. "You didn't have to save me." He said.

I could hear again, his words muffled as he spoke against my shoulder. Someone was sniffling, probably one of the girls. As I tried to look around at the tangled arms around me I began to count them off. Kaldur, Artemis, M'gann, Conner, Wally, Tim. I realized just how much I truly _loved_ these people. "Hey," I croaked somehow. The words hurt, but I had to say them against the ache in my throat. "Someone...make cookies... after this. We need to...celebrate...this..." Their arms only got tighter around me. "Snickerdoodles, right?" I heard M'gann say a moment later. A few people laughed, I tried to grin. It was getting harder to speak, harder to breathe. "Asterous." I managed to say.

"D-don't leave us, man." Wally said. He was so strong and I knew he was barely holding herself together. My body was closing, I could feel it. My eyes were shutting, my brain screamed. My body felt like it was lit on fire...which, it practically had been. I looked up into Tim's eyes, well, the ones behind his mask. "T-tell Br..uce...tell him..." Tim shook his head. "Don't say it. Don't you dare say it, Dick." A last smile came to my lips. "We're out of cereal." More sobs, more laughter. It was all I knew they could do at this point. If anything, I was glad I was going out with family. A few tears escaped my eyes from behind my own mask...and I let myself go.

I still watch them from up here. They really made snickerdoodles and left them by my memorial. All I gotta say is that they smelled amazing.

I still miss them.

But I'll never forget.

**The End.**


End file.
